Although Hamilton and Button duelled for the lead themselves 10 laps later, Goss feels Formula One's last two world champions showed Red Bull exactly how team-mates should behave on track.

"In this race Red Bull did not deliver," said Goss, put forward as McLaren's spokesman as the team principal, Martin Whitmarsh, and the director of engineering, Paddy Lowe, had left to catch an early flight. In the absence of Dave Redding, whose wife was having a baby, Goss also served as acting team manager throughout the weekend.

"Their drivers were racing, our drivers were racing, but I think that just shows how well our drivers can manage themselves on the circuit," said Goss. "We employ them to be aggressive racing drivers, but they are both very, very sensible.

"They like to fight, they are both world champions and out to prove they're the best – a superior racing driver. But the way they have handled themselves on the circuit has been absolutely exceptional so far this year.

"There has been more than one occasion when they have been close to one another like that [in the race]. "The two of them can race and avoid each other, unlike our next-door neighbours who clearly threw an easy one-two away."

Goss could understand why Webber was told to turn down his engine, explained by Red Bull's Christian Horner as the reason why Vettel managed to get close enough to make a pass. With Red Bull having had engine problems this season, Goss warned of further issues down the line for the Milton Keynes-based team.

"They had an engine failure with Vettel earlier in the season, an engine failure over the weekend, so they are potentially going to run out of engines this season," added Goss. "In racing one-two we would be telling both our drivers to turn their engines down equally.

"But with Vettel and our two drivers chasing, it was a surprising thing to do, although I'm sure they knew we were trying to conserve fuel. Everything [said on the pit-to-car radio] gets broadcast these days and I'm sure they were listening to it."

Although unaware of any split in the Red Bull camp, Goss firmly believes the battle between the McLaren stars and their rivals will continue unabated.

"They [Red Bull] and ourselves have two drivers trying to win the world championship," said Goss. "I'm sure all four of them are going to be racing hard to the end of the season."